Icy Summer Look

I love this look for the summer.  It’s a soft, feminine, cool look.  The pale colors used on the eyes and lips are just right for the summer.  On my lips I used White Russian gloss by buxom but of course I always offer a lower cost duplicate (a.k.a. dupe).  The Buxom gloss retails for $18 while I found a similar look using E.L.F.’s Ballet Slippers (retails for $3).  One of the keys to this look is the highlighted cheeks.  Bronzer is important but as you can see there’s a glow to the cheeks created by a product called (aptly named), highlighter.  I will admit that I chose two products to create this look that are not budget friendly but I can assure you, they are a great investment.  I used the Bronzed & the Beautiful bronzing palette.  I’ve used it daily for over a year.  Perhaps I’ve held onto it past its prime (since it’s not sold as a trio palette anymore), however the items in the trio are still sold separately.  I’ve seen it on Amazon.com for $27.99 but since I haven’t purchased it from there so I can’t tell you if it’s the real thing.  This bronzing palette has worked well for every skin color I’ve used it on.

On my eyes, I used several powder blue and silver colors as well as a stila eye liner in Indigo which I received as part of my Birchbox.  I’ll explain that in a minute.  I’d prefer to talk about the harmony of the colors instead of the exact colors I used so that you can focus on the concept instead of the replication of the look. Although I’m happy to give instruction, I’d like to encourage experimentation as well.  All of the colors used were pale, from the shadows to the cheeks to the lips.  In the picture I took the eye shadow all the way around the eye instead of just on top.  Try this and you’ll see how it really makes the colors pop.

Back to the Birchbox.  This is one of many monthly beauty subscriptions.  It’s only $10 per month and I always end up with at least one product I’ll use (usually more) that’s worth way more than $10.  For example, that Stila eye liner came in the box and it’s worth $20.  It comes with about 5 products to try and although some are trial size, there’s usually at least one full size product.  If you can afford the $10 per month, it’s a great value, not to mention it’s always fun to get new beauty products in the mail.  So as always, keep…

Staying beautiful,

Makeup Maverick

Icy Summer Look

Shadow of a Doubt

I have to share my latest makeup application experience with you.  It has to do with one of my favorite cosmetic companies at the moment, E.L.F.  My best friend recently allowed me to practice some eye shadow techniques on her and I decided to try out a new palette I purchased called the 141 Piece Master Makeup Collection which retails for $45 but we all know I never pay retail.  I happened to get this palette along with two others (83 Piece Essential Makeup Collection and 27 Piece Mini Makeup Collection) for $33.  The eye shadows were the only product I had yet to try from E.L.F. and I’m glad it was. 

I used eye shadow primer on my friend and used the proper brushes for eye shadow application.  So I’m pretty sure the eye shadow was the problem.  I chose several beautiful purple shades to create a smoky eye with.  The first problem is that the colors aren’t named or numbered.  The second and bigger problem was that the consistency of the product was chalky.  So as I dipped the brush into the eye shadow and the shadow did not adhere to the bristles.  It fell off onto the palette and my friend’s face as I applied it.  The colors lacked pigment and the overall appearance left much to be desired.  Needless to say I was disappointed.  I now own 84 shadows (in this palette alone) that I just can’t use, not even to let my niece play dress up with.  But here’s the good news: I have already found a gem of a company that makes a huge variety of wonderfully pigmented colors at very reasonable prices.  Here’s my favorite: 120 Color Shany Eye Shadow Palette the Bold and Bright Collection.  It retails for $18.99 on Amazon.com.  Let me do the math for you, that’s about $0.16 per eye shadow.  With 120 colors in the palette, if you can’t find one to coordinate with your outfit, you may want to reassess your outfit.  As long as you use a primer with these shadows, the colors will appear as vibrant as they do in the palette and stay put all day and night.  If you’re looking for an eye shadow that can be purchased in a drug store, I’d suggest Milani.  There’s a palette that retails for $7.99 at Target and comes with six colors.  The colors are beautiful and it’s a good value if you choose not to make purchases online.  The bottom line is that you don’t need to spend $18 on one pot of eye shadow to create a professional look.  Spend your time learning technique and not your money on high end product.  And as always you should be…

Staying beautiful,

Makeup Maverick

The Post Post

Airbrushing seemed to be easy for me to pick up.  I’m not sure if this will be the same for everyone but the reviews seem to agree with me.  I tried the foundation first and then the eye shadow and eyebrows.  I’ve enclosed a picture of my eyes to show you the results and I think it came out well for my first time.  I’ll be practicing more daily but for now this seems to be fun and innovative.  It’s not any quicker than my current routine with brushes but I’m confident that that will change.  So I’ll keep you posted on my practice.  I’m looking to work on blush and bronzing next.  So until then, keep…

Staying Beautiful,

Makeup Maverick

Daily Makeup

Brush it Off

This post is really a pre-post.  I’m very excited to say that I have ordered an airbrush makeup kit from Dinair!!!  This makes me so happy.  The reviews have been great and I can’t wait to use it and review it.  Here’s why I’m excited about airbrushed makeup:

·         It’s a clean “photo-shopped” look

·         It’s easier than using brushes

·         It photographs well

·         It uses less tools, just the one

·         It’s fun!

·         It seems to be much more cost effective

·         It’s more professional however it can be used by the layman

            So I’m obviously excited to see what this tool can do and I will post pics, I promise; from the bad training pics to the goods ones.  I want to encourage makeup in general not because it’s what I love but because it changes your life.  It can make you feel beautiful, sexy, or just different.  And sometimes you just want    to feel different.  And that’s healthy.  You should want to see what you see yourself in different images.  As a woman, it’s our god given perk.  We have to be everything to everyone and that requires many hats.  Those hats come with    different looks.  As long as you embrace the woman you are in the morning (sans   war paint), you should be allowed to change the costume with the hat.

            This wasn’t supposed to be a makeup rant, but it seems to have transformed into that.  It should have been my first post but I just thought of it.  My main focus for      all of my posts will be to find ways to improve yourself.  Your look, your self    esteem, your pocketbook, and your confidence.

            So soon I’ll be able to post a review that may change my life and yours.  But keep in mind that you can only change you.  And hopefully you do it every day, for the better.  So hopefully you’re…

            Staying Beautiful,

            Makeup Maverick

Lashing Out

This may very well be my favorite beauty enhancement to date.  False eyelashes come in every color, length, and width you could possibly imagine.  There are various ways of wearing them as well as different levels of commitment.  If you only want to wear them for the evening you can glue them on yourself and they’ll stay on all day and night.  If you want the look to last longer, you can go to a specialist and they can glue each lash on individually. This will be an hour to two hour long process and can cost upwards of $200.  This will last anywhere from 3-6 weeks, depending on how your own lashes fall out.  The latter process is a little more committal and not very budget friendly.  So let’s talk about the drugstore version.

Lashes can be purchased at drugstores all over the nation.  A pair can generally be purchased for anywhere between $3.99-$7.99.  They’re sold at other beauty stores and can cost you $15-$20 just for the lashes.  Glue (I use DUO) can also run you about $3-4.  But here’s my secret.  I purchase all of my lashes online at http://www.model21falseeyelashes.com/.  This is the best value for the price.  The quality is comparable to Ardell and other drugstore versions and quite possibly even better.  They’re sold 10 pairs to a box and the boxes range anywhere from $8.15-$19.95.  That’s as low as $0.81 a pair!  They can each be used 3-5 times depending on how you care for them.  I’ve even gotten them as cheap as $0.61 per pair since you get a free box if you order 3 boxes.

As far as applying lashes, I don’t think there’s an easy way to do it other than practice.  I consider myself to be beauty savy and it took me months of practice and trying different styles to learn how to do it.  There are many, many different tutorials on youtube.com that can help you learn.  You don’t need any special tools; you can just use your fingers to apply them.  I use my tweezers to get them as close to my natural lash line as possible.

The bottom line is that lashes are a great investment if you want to look a little more glamorous or even if you just want to enhance your own lashes.  Someone like me who has very short, sparse eyelashes, won’t get help from mascara.  Mascara can enhance your lashes if you have them to begin with.  You can put heels on a midget but he’s still a midget.  So if you want to take your makeup to another level, take a few minutes to practice applying eyelashes and before you know it, you’ll be a makeup maverick too!

Staying Beautiful,

Makeup Maverick

The Primary Beauty Products

Well this is my second post on Makeup on a Budget and I’m itching to bring you my next review.  I’m pretty excited about this review and I truly believe that this product will make or break your look.

Smashbox makes a product called Photofinish and it’s a foundation primer.  I purchased mine for $16 for .5 oz. at amazon.com.  If this product was cheaper and came in a bigger bottle I would bathe in it.  Although this primer is not the cheapest, it’s the best quality for the price.  If you use the right amount, it will last you a long time.  This product goes under your foundation and above your moisturizer.  It fills in pores and wrinkles like spackle on a wall.  This allows your foundation to be applied smoothly and evenly.

I wrote this last paragraph the day before my E.LF. shipment arrived.  Today I received the E.L.F. Mineral Infused Face Primer.  I purchased it for $6.  To me, it is the exact same product as the Smashbox product, less $10.  Actually, I take that back.  You get almost .09 oz more with the Smashbox product.  The point of this blog is to bring you items that will allow you to look exactly the same as if you had a champagne budget.  And this review is delivering exactly that.  It’s the same effect, less expensive, and a better feeling for it.  So I’d say, use the E.L.F. primer and you’ll be thanking me for it.

Now, onto the foundation.  This one’s tough.  There are so many more options than primer.  So let me just let you know what the necessities are for foundation.  An SPF is important as with any other topical application to your skin.  It’s also important to wear a product that feels light and isn’t cakey.  That means when it’s applied, there’s a seamless appearance.  I rarely wear foundation, but when I do, I use FIT Me foundation by Maybeline.  You can find it on Beauty.com for $5.59 for a 1 oz bottle.  It’s a great product that has a vast variety of colors which is critical to a great foundation. 

I mentioned that I rarely wear foundation, which is true.  I usually wear a tinted moisturizer which does the job of evening my skin as well as moisturizing.  It gives you a very natural feel and look and it’s one product instead of two.  Anytime you can eliminate extra products, you should.  I have Olay Definity Color Recapture.  It’s $23.97 on Walmart.com for 1.7 oz.  I have found that tinted moisturizer’s tend to be pricey, perhaps because it does replace two products.  I have also found that if I wet my beauty sponge applicator, it waters it down and will take it a much longer way.

I’d like to finalize my reviews by saying that there are lots of products out there but there’s no need to spend a lot of money on a product if you’ve found something inexpensive that works just the same.  Looking good shouldn’t have to cost much if you do the right research.  And I'm here to help make the research process a little less painful.  So until next time when we'll discuss my favorite beauty enhancement item...false eyelashes!  Don't be scared, they don't bite, they adhere :)

Staying Beautiful,

Makeup Maverick

The Foundation under Foundation

So this blog is intended to explore makeup deals and specials as well as product test and instruct.  I'm here to help you create a makeup routine that's affordable and will keep you looking put together and looking your best.
So here's where we should start: facial moisturizer.  It's the foundation of every great makeup application.  You must have a clean, smooth canvas to make a great work of art.  So I'm going to suggest two moisturizers that I've been using for years and the products themselves have been around for years.  The one I'm currently using is Cetaphil.  I purchased a 4 oz bottle from www.beauty.com for $13.99.  It's gentle enough that it works for every skin type.  It has an SPF of 15 which is a great bonus.  But more importantly, beauty.com offers something called drugstore dollars.  Every purchase you make earns you 5% back in drugstore.com dollars.  Beauty.com and drugstore.com are two different websites that allow you to use one shopping cart.  So the credits can be used at either website.  I recently ordered $16.47 worth of makeup and paid only $1.71 using my drugstore.com dollars.  Getting deals like this makes makeup even more fun!
The other moisturizer I'd recommend is Olay Complete by Oil of Olay.  This also has an SPF of 15 and it sells for $8.99 for a 6 oz bottle on drugstore.com.  There's currently an additional $1 off coupon but I'm not sure how long that's going to last.  I buy most of my beauty products online but you can certainly find the same prices (maybe better) at stores like Target or Wal-Mart.  I enjoy the convenience of having my purchases shipped to me and not having to deal with driving or poor customer service.  The other benefit of purchasing through these kind of websites is getting free samples.  I've learned of other great products and started using them because of the free samples.
This was an introduction to makeup which may seem odd since we didn't discuss makeup at all.  But skin is the basis to beautiful makeup.  Next week I'll be discussing foundation and primers.  I recently ordered a couple of new items that I'll be testing and reviewing in my next blog.  I'm looking forward to bringing you more beauty tips and reviews.

Staying beautiful,

Makeup Maverick